Back Ground

The snow and driving wind , bite into your face . Looking below you see the red eyes in the forest , of at least 10 wargs , looking back up the slope, a huge white Warg standing over 7 feet at the shoulders , makes its way into view , its huge red eyes bore into each of you , you feel for the faintest second fear, then its gone and so is the White Warg.

From the left voices drift towards through the wind and snow and to the right the start a fast moving stream , cuts town the mountain, the sure footed ranger Harsk sets off towards the stream , while the others make there way down the slope, Vox uses his rope , whilst Ezren and Eranicus go into free fall , damaging themselves severely . Vox gets down and heals his companion Ezren who took the brunt of the hits , Then eranicus make a crazy decision he casts featherfall on the group and glides down to sit on a branch , whilst the others land in the clearing and are noticed by the wargs.

The fight is long and brutal , sitting on the branch Eranicus is safe , but the rest of the group , take a savage beating , Vox`s healing is pushed to the limit, whilst Harsks weapon arm is smashed and useless before killing one and is then he is knocked unconscious ,a breath away from death until Vox secures him. Ezren is taking a beating but kills 2 of the creatures , he is bleeding badly as the fight ends. Vox is also knocked out ,but not before he bringing harsk back from the brink.

As the scene closed , with all our characters injured except eranicus , more wolves were massing behind the gloom, barks and growls emanating from the grey .

Ezren had heard a Nordic voice drifting in the wind , and everyone freezes as a huge nordic warpriest walks into view, dressed on heavy furs , ice hangs from his chin , a two handed sword on his back, a shaved head and a scared face.

“Need some help ?” he says

“Aye laddie “ says harsk sitting in the snow ,” we are in a bit of trouble, we have unconscious cleric and a bleeding magus”

“what about you dwarf ?”

“Its a flesh wound , be better if I could wield my bow” but you cant have everything ?”

“Mage ” says Ulrik ” come and help me with your companions , strange your unhurt from the battle ? You will not find yourself in the halls of the great Gorum !”

With that he leans over Vox and begins to heal

“Strange your so deep in the Kodars , this time of year , and not dressed for it !”

What does a character believe? How does this belief influence a character’s actions, especially as an adventurer?

A character’s motivating beliefs are hisfides2 (pronounced fee-days). Using fides during game play adds to the social contract between the players (including the DM). The player defines his character’sfides before the game begins. The DM implements opportunities for fidesto be challenged during the game. A character can earn one Action Point per game session perfides. The only requirement is that the character is played in such a way that he acts based on hisfides. Note that there are no requirements that fides strictly dictate the way a character acts. People act contrary to their beliefs all the time. The sole requirement is that the character be role-played with reference to his

fides.

Let’s look at an example:

Jeremiah Dawes believes that no insult should be left unanswered. He undertakes a diplomatic mission to a group of Wampanoag Halflings who are blocking passage along an important river. During dinner with the chief, a warrior insults Dawes’s motives. How does Dawes react to the challenge to hisfides? Does he…

…swallow his pride and bottle his anger so as to not endanger the mission?

Any of these reactions is an appropriate response to thefides challenge. Undoubtedly other possible

responses exist. In each instance, Dawes reacts based on hisfides and an Action Point is earned.

A player can define as few or as manyfides as he and the DM can agree upon. Of course the DM shouldn’t be expected to work challenges for all of every character’sfides each game session; however, it is reasonable that each character be given at least onefides challenge per game session.

As a character develops, his fides may change.

The player can add new ones, get rid of old ones, or change existing ones. This works especially well whenfides change due to the fides change due to the character’s experiences during the game.

Naturae – I would like 2-3 picked

Fides aren’t the only things that shape personality. They might not even be the most important or revealing. A

character may also have one or morenaturae (pronounced nat-oor-eye), or instincts. Naturae represent those things a character does without much conscious thought in response to a particular situation. Likefides, the player writes his character’s naturae prior to the game’s start. The player creates as manynaturae as he and the DM can agreeably

define. Naturae are different fromfides in three ways.

First, the DM doesn’t need to specifically tailor scenarios to regularly include an opportunity fornaturae to come into play. Also unlike fides, a character can earn an Action Point each time hisnaturae come into

play, but no more than once per scene3. Finally, a character earns an Action Point only for acting the way hisnaturae says he acts.

This reflects the crucial distinction betweenfides and naturae. Fides result from reflection and conscious decision.Naturae are reactions, more or less automatic responses that the character has less control over. Of course, this doesn’t mean thatnaturae dictate action. A character may act contrary to his

naturae. He just doesn’t earn an Action Point for doing so.

Let’s look at an example: Jeremiah Dawes doesn’t lie. He is instinctively truthful. While traveling through the woods near

Jamestown, he and his companions stumble across a dwarven slave escaped from a nearby

plantation. They agree to help the slave get out of Gloucester Territory to where the dwarf has a

chance of remaining free. Along the way north, the party encounters a gang of slave hunters. The

lead slaver hunter asks, “Have you seen any escaped slaves?” What does Dawes do? Does he…

…admit they have seen an escaped slave?

…keep his mouth shut and let someone else do the talking?

…lie to the slave hunters?

Any of these options are acceptable, but only the first one earns the character an Action Point.

A character’s naturae may also evolve over time. He may develop new ones, change old ones, and even lose specificnaturae entirely. As always, these changes work best if they occur in response to the character’s experiences during game play.

Metae- I would like 1 picked dont tell other players your metae just text me or email me

At the start of each adventure (not game session), a player may define onemeta (plural metae, pronounced may-tuh or may-tie if plural) for his character.Metae are goals, but they must be something different than the adventure’s main objective.

Even more so than fides andnaturae, it is imperative that the DM be involved in defining metae since it is the DM’s responsibility to make sure each character’s metae are included in the adventure. For this reason,metae must be defined prior to the start of an adventure. After the first adventure, it is best to definemetae at the end of the current adventure so that they are ready by the next adventure’s beginning.

When the opportunity to achieve ameta arises, the character earns an Action Point as long as he reacts accordingly. Success is not a criterion for earning ameta-related Action Point. The only thing that counts is effort.

Let’s look at an example:

Jeremiah Dawes wants to become a member of a Wompanoag Halfling tribe sorcerer lodge. He needs

to earn the approval of a sorcerer lodge elder and pass the initiation test. After the successful

completion of the diplomatic mission to the negotiate free travel on an important river, Dawes gets his

opportunity.

Succeed or fail, Dawes earns an Action Point for seizing the opportunity to achieve hismeta.

It is entirely appropriate for a character’smeta to change each adventure, especially if the character

achieved his meta when he had the chance.

Summary of Role-playing Action Points

A player can earn one Action Point for:

1. Role-playing with reference to hisfides, earning one Action Point per fides per game session.

2. Role-playing according to hisnaturae, earning one Action Point per natura per scene.

3. Attempting to accomplish his meta, earning one Action Point per adventure.

Action Points

You’ve read about how Action Points can be earned during game play through a character’sfides, naturae, and metae, but what exactly is an Action Point and what do they do? Also, since I’ve used Latinfor other terms, why not here as well?4An Action Point is a resource that can be spent to affect the game in a variety of ways. There are three

effect categories: Character Effects, Combat Effects, and Die Roll Effects. Different uses of Action Points have different rules, but one rule always applies:

You cannot spend more than one Action Point per round per effect category.

At the start of each adventure (not each game session), a character gets one Action Point. He gains more Action Points during game play depending on his isfides, naturae, and metae. A character cannot have more than six Action Points at any given time.

Action Points Quick Reference Page

Character Effects

Activate Class Ability Gain a free use of an ability that has a limited number of uses per day.

Emulate Feat Gain the benefit of a feat until the beginning of your next turn.

2. What do we know, we know Runewells , we know there is a new cult spreading through golarion – dark elves, we know something went wrong over 10,000 years ago , demons walked the land, we know there was a cataclysm and the thassilon empire was no more, we know the runewells gave the 7 runlelords power, we each smaller runwell served a bigger runewell and so on, we know the mark if the sihedron rune when marked on a person and that person is killed , it feeds a runewll, we know there are was a lost art called runewarding which people used against the demons, there where 2 massive librarys lost to the new era, which held all the information of the old empire and the fall of the empire.

Your options are at the moment

a)All signs point to sand point …………..

b) The missing sword in the deathtrap dungeon ………is this a ploy to slow the characters down ?

c) What are ironbriar and Kolbi upto down here ?

Finding the letter in the clutches of barl breakbones , they know someone called Terantikus is leading a raid on beloved Sandpoint , the letter was signed M ,

I know what characters you have , please could you give me the names of your character and a little background on why you became shadowrunners and why you are together as a team?

, also could you give me the names of all your contacts/fixers and how you know them 🙂

Danny – Bounty Hunter

My name Havlock Bonesnapper was an ex cop who was forced out for excessive force.Namely beat a child murderer to within an inch of his life (took being restrained by five officers to prevent killing him). Disillusioned with the justice system Simlack(afore mentioned murderer)got off due to lack of evidence and I was prosecuted/sacked and only avoided jail with the help of my mentor superintendent Lasarus.Spent the next two year as a mercenary in the jungles of south america working for the highest bidder.Eventually returned home and with the help of Lasarus got work in private security for a year before becoming a bounty hunter.Hunting the scum of the earth again this time without the restraints of the police,which is just how I like it. Contacts Lasarus mcruder Superintendant Police,Jason Delvin ex boss Morlin security,Housous Caracas local fence and boyhood friend(underworld connection)Samfard london ex mercenary currently bouncer in lOne more side note, that child killer(Simlack)met with an unfortunate accident,seems he slipped and fell in front of a mag-lev train. Apparently the only way they could identify his body was through his DNA.The local press mentioned a tall bulky figure seen leaving the scene in a hurry but no one saw his face or how the guy “fell” onto the tracks.To this day the case remains open,along with several other high profile cases of mysterious deaths all involving nefarious characters.Unconvicted murderers rapists and the like,seems there may be a vigilante in the city.Oh well, I’m sure they wont be missed least of all by me.Funny headline in the paper the other day crime down 33% criminals running scared.If they’ve got any sense they will be scared straight,if not then they just may meet with an unfortunate accident.Hey,its a dangerous city out there,very dangerous now I’ve returned.ocal club Wipeout(friend and underworld connection)Sarah Connerly police officer(ex partner-romantic interest)

One more side note, that child killer(Simlack)met with an unfortunate accident,seems he slipped and fell in front of a mag-lev train. Apparently the only way they could identify his body was through his DNA.The local press mentioned a tall bulky figure seen leaving the scene in a hurry but no one saw his face or how the guy “fell” onto the tracks.To this day the case remains open,along with several other high profile cases of mysterious deaths all involving nefarious characters.Unconvicted murderers rapists and the like,seems there may be a vigilante in the city.Oh well, I’m sure they wont be missed least of all by me.Funny headline in the paper the other day crime down 33% criminals running scared.If they’ve got any sense they will be scared straight,if not then they just may meet with an unfortunate accident.Hey,its a dangerous city out there,very dangerous now I’ve returned.

Darren – Adept mage

eric – AKA mr johanson used to work for the aires corporation in its paranormal research division until he found out that some of the research being carried out went beyond what he found acceptable, he accepted that all corporations used runners and that sometimes rules are meant to be broken but experementation on the down and outs should always be done in a way that he could rationalise and using them test the latest smart hunter drones went beyond the acceptable, erik decided that the seatle head of research at his facility had learn the error of his way and the head of operations decided to go slumming in the same district that the drones were being tested and suddenly he found himself in the target area with no idea how he got there, no coms equipment and his docwagon contract terminated, being a spellcasting researcher has its perks, eric decided that when the new head of research anounced that he was to push on with the research with the drones a constructive fire was called for, it got a little out of hand and as well as the reseach office most of the company offices were gutted in the fire luckily there was only two lives lost that night the second head of research and eric so mr johansen was born and the company decided that the research project should use new methods of testing. erics call to the district aterney for his dying confesion from the fire as to what was happening may have had something to do with this, mr johanson then entered the ten thousand daggers mercinary company as a combat mage and for several years toured the globe visiting hotspots in all of the major theatres of war before becoming a runner in his home town… he still ocasionaly belives that justice needs to be dispenced and several murderers and rapists have jumped from the platform into the way of oncoming trains, one even confessed on prime time trid show before jumping (control spells are a wonder of the modern age)

John – Decker

Also at some point id like to do cthulu characters with a full background, i have an adventure sorted to get you all meet, before you face the Masks of Nylathatep

Since the turn of the century, the world has changed in unimaginable ways. The mystical energies of the universe have been steadily rising in power and concentration, bringing magic back to the world—the Awakening. Elves, dwarfs, orks, and trolls have assumed their true forms, throwing off their human guises. Creatures of the wild have changed as well, transforming into beasts of myth and legend. The many traditions of magic have returned—magicians from all walks of life have carved out a place for themselves in the new world. Though many aspects of the Awakening remain mysterious, modern society has learned much about the workings of magic and how to harness it as a force just as important as technology. The decades that followed the Awakening were years of panic and turmoil, as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse seemed to race across the Earth. Cultures that had never lost touch with their mystic heritage used magic in uprisings against the nations that had suppressed them for centuries. The vast global telecommunications network collapsed under an assault by a mysterious computer virus. Dragons soared into the skies. Epidemics and famines ravaged the world’s population. Clashes between newly Awakened races and the rest of humanity became common. All central authority crumbled, and the world began to spiral downward into the abyss. But man and his kin are hardy animals. Out of the devastation and chaos, a fragile new social order slowly emerged. Advanced simulated sensorium (simsense) technology helped eradicate the last vestiges of the computer virus. Amerindians, elves, orks, trolls, and dwarfs formed new nations. Where environmental degradation and pollution have made many areas uninhabitable, eco-groups wage war on polluters, and Awakened powers use incredible magic to heal the earth. Central governments have balkanized into smaller nations and city-states, as fear of the world’s changes drives wedges between people of different backgrounds. Vast metropolitan sprawls known as metroplexes cover the landscape; these urban jungles swallow whole regions. Police departments, unable to contain crime waves and civil unrest, have been privatized or had their work contracted out to corporations. Mega corporations are the new world superpowers, a law unto themselves. The entire planet speaks their language; the nuyen is the global monetary standard; and the highest court in the world is the Corporate Court, made up of members of the top ten megacorporations. The megacorps play a deadly game, paying pawns in the shadows to help them get an edge on the competition. Meanwhile, corporate executives and wage slaves hole up in their own enclaves, safe behind layers of security and indoctrination. Outside the walls of these arcologies and gated communities, whole stretches of the sprawls have become ungovernable. Gangs rule the streets; the forgotten masses grow, lacking even a System Identification Number (SIN) to give them any rights. These outcasts, dissidents, and rebels live as the dregs of society, squatting in long-abandoned buildings, surviving through crime and predatory instincts. Many of them attempt to escape their miserable existences by slotting addictive Better-Than-Life (BTL) chips, living vicariously through someone else’s senses. Others band together, some for survival and some to gain their own twisted forms of power.Technology, too, has changed people. No longer content with the limitations of flesh, many have turned to the artificial enhancements of cyberware to make themselves more than human—stronger, faster, smarter. Others prefer more natural enhancements, augmented organs grown in clinic vats: bioware. Still others deck themselves out in powerful and wearable computing equipment, and manipulate the Matrix or vehicles as if the optical chips and run-flat tires were parts of their own body.

In the harsh reality of 2070 where profit is the most important mistress, the bigger the metroplex, the deeper the shadows. In the cracks between the giant corporate structures, criminals of all shades find their homes. When the megacorps want a job done but don’t want to dirty their hands, they turn to the only people who can pull it off: shadowrunners, deniable assets. Though only the blackest of governmental or corporate databases will even register a shadowrunner’s involvement with a corporation, the demand for his or her services is high. Hackers slide like whispers through the databases of giant corporations, spiriting away the only thing of real value—information. Street samurai are enforcers for hire whose combat skills and reflexes make them the ultimate urban predators. Riggers manipulate vehicles and drones for a variety of purposes. Magicians, those rare folk who possess the gift of wielding and shaping the magical energies that now permeate the Earth, are sought after to spy on competitors, sling spells against an enemy, commit magical sabotage, and for any other service that their employers can dream up. All these individuals sell their skills to survive, taking on tasks too dangerous for others; many of them illegal, all of them unsavory.

Welcome to the dark side of the future, pal. It’s going to be a hell of a ride.

What Runners Do

Shadowrunners commit crimes, usually for money. When a corporation or other sponsor needs someone to do dirty work, they look to the shadows. As “deniable assets,” runners make advantageous—and expendable—tools. Runners usually operate in teams. A team can be any combination of character types, depending on what the players want to do. The team should have a plausible reason for working together, such as being old friends or cellmates, having the same interests, or being forced together by circumstance. Different teams will have different capabilities, and the gamemaster should plan accordingly. For example, one team may excel at breaking and entering, while another might be a squad of bruisers who work best as hired muscle. While runner teams will want to work within their strengths, a staple of drama is the protagonists being pulled out of their element and over their heads. Runners have contacts, who represent other potentially useful people they know. Some of these will be other underworld types, such as gang members or hit men. Others may be ordinary people, useful for information or for “special arrangements”—for example, the corporate secretary who lets you know when the wiz research scientist you’re supposed to kidnap will be leaving the building. The more you rely on any particular contact’s skills, information, and resources, the more you’ll owe them in the end—even between long-standing contacts, money and favors are usually necessary to grease the wheels. A player character’s relationship with a contact need not be friendly. Sometimes, the people who can help you out the most are those you like the least.

The most important contact for shadowrunners is the fixer. A fixer acts as a middleman and can usually help the runners find gear, other contacts, or work—all for a fee, of course. A corporation or other employer that needs shadowrunners sends someone to a fixer to ask for recommendations. If a team of runners has a good reputation and meets the job requirements, a meeting is arranged to discuss details and haggle over payment. Because such matters are highly sensitive, anonymity is par for the course, and employers of this type are known simply as Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Johnson may not always be a corporate representative. The world of Shadowrun is rich and complex, with many people and groups who may need to hire runners to accomplish certain goals. A criminal syndicate may hire runners to strike at rivals, a mage may hire them to acquire certain rare materials for magic use, or Joe Neighbor may need to find the terrorists who kidnapped his wife. Regardless of the sponsor, if a job involves doing something dangerous and potentially illegal, it’s a shadowrun. Just like Mr. Johnson is anonymous, so may be the sponsor—if the price is right, most running teams don’t care who’s paying. Misdirection is common, and Johnsons will often try to drop false clues, leading runners to think that they’re actually employed by someone else entirely. Shadowrunner teams may even take the initiative, doing jobs of their own accord. For example, a player character may hold a grudge against a certain megacorp, or dislike how a certain gang treats people in his neighborhood. Maybe he decides it’s time to get his criminal record erased. Other jobs may be politically or socially motivated; the character or runner team may be members of or regularly work with far left or far right political groups. In the Sixth World, everyone has dirty work that needs doing. Runners accomplish their tasks by working the streets for information, calling in favors and markers from friends and contacts in the shadows. They take whatever action their job requires: surveillance, theft, breaking and entering, violence, even murder. Runners do these things because they are survivors. Many of them grew up committing crimes to get by, or perhaps they obtained special training somewhere and want to put it to use. Some may have extended families to feed and no other source of income. Many of them prefer the freedom of the shadowlife, controlling their own destinies as opposed to being a wage slave in some drab business park kissing corporate ass all day. Others enjoy the thrill of running, thriving on its risks. Finally, some are inspired to run by a sense of social justice; they want to damage the powers-that-be however they can while providing for the underclass. These runners are known as ’hooders for their Robin Hood outlook.

Built in the shadow of megaliths, Magnimar endlessly endeavors to surpass the overwhelming scale and grandeur of the ancient wonders that litter the Varisian landscape. A place of great opportunity, social stress, and cold beauty, the city exudesthe airs of a southern metropolis, seeking to rise above its ignoble beginnings as a refuge for Korvosan outcasts to become a beacon of culture and freedom in an unforgiving land. Yet its towering monuments, elegant gardens, ostentatious architecture, and elaborate sculptures form but a cracked mask over a struggling government and a desperate people in need of heroes.

As one approaches the town of Sandpoint, the footprint of civilizationupon the Lost Coast grows more clear. Farmlands in the outlying moors and river valleys grow more numerous, and the blue-green waters of the Varisian Gulf bear more and more fishing vessels upon its surface. Passage over creeks and rivers is moreoften accomplished by wooden bridge than ford, and the Lost Coast Road itself grows wider and better-kept. Sight of Sandpoint from either approach (south or east) is kept hidden by the large upthrust limestone pavements known as the Devil’s Platter or the arc of rocky outcroppings known as Whistler’s Tors, but as the final bend in the road is rounded, Sandpoint’s smoking chimneys and bustling streets greet the traveler with open arms and the promise of warm beds, a welcome sight indeed for those who have spent the last few days alone on the Lost Coast Road. From the south, entrance to Sandpoint is governed by a wooden bridge, while from the north a low stone wall gives the town a bit of protection. Here, the Lost Coast Road passes through a stone gatehouse that is generally watched by one or two guards—the southern bridge is typically unattended. Aside from the occasional goblin, the citizens of Sandpoint have traditionally had little worries about invasion or banditry—the region simply isn’t populated enough to make theft a lucrative business. Hanging from a bent nail at both the gatehouse and the southern bridge is a sign and a mirror— painted on each sign is the message: “Welcome to Sandpoint! Please stop to see yourself as we see you!”